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Having a solid rotation on the defensive line is crucial, especially for the Bucs who often play in some really bad humidity.
Despite a rotation, injuries to Buccaneers defensive ends limited their continuity and any shot at being successful. Robert Ayers, William Gholston, and Noah Spence all missed time due to injury, with Spence missing the most (10 games).
To add to their rotation, the Buccaneers signed veteran defensive lineman Mitch Unrein. The former Chicago Bears defensive end played just 36-percent of the Bears snaps on defense and recorded 2.5 sacks. He also appeared in just under 22-percent of the special teams snaps.
The 31-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Bucs. He lined up as an edge rusher in the Bears 3-4 defensive alignment but has the versatility to move inside. That is a huge plus for a team that constantly rotates guys in like Tampa Bay. And while you’ve never seen him light up the stat sheet with sacks, he is decent against the run.
Unrein will add much needed depth along the defensive line.
Grade: C+